A man in a silver Honda Odyssey minivan attempted to grab a 17-year-old female student as she was walking at South Channing and Fulton streets Thursday, Elgin police said.
The incident occurred about 9:40 a.m. when the suspect tried to talk to the teen as while he was inside his van, police said. He then got out and grabbed the girl’s arm, but she was able to pull away and was not injured.
She immediately reported the incident, telling officers the man fled eastbound on Division Street from Gifford Street.
The suspect is described as being Hispanic, about 40 years old, with black hair and standing about 5-foot-8, according to reports. He was wearing a dark sweater and blue jeans.
Anyone with information on the incident or suspect is asked to call Elgin police at 847-289-2600 or to text a tip to 847411, including “ELGINPD” at the start of the message.
School District U-46 officials and area schools were contacted about the incident. Elgin police were providing extra surveillance for schools in the immediate area.
It is not known if the incident has any connection to reports Wednesday of a “suspicious individual” who tried to get into several schools in Aurora, Oswego and Plainfield.
The police departments in those towns are working together to investigate the incidents in which the person tried to gain access to the buildings under the guise of wanting to tour them, Aurora Police Department spokesman David Guevara said.
The names of the schools were not disclosed, and the person was not able to get into the buildings, he said. Because the request raised concerns, the schools contacted police as a precaution, he said.
“We all communicate with one another in the event of a circumstance like this,” Guevara said.
One of the buildings the suspect tried to enter was part of Central Community Unit School District 301, which has schools in Burlington, Lily Lake, portions of Elgin, Campton Hills, St. Charles and other unincorporated Kane County towns.
“When asked about the purpose of the tour, this individual has abruptly left the premises,” district officials said in a statement.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
